George whitaker



(No Model.)

G. WHITAKER. APPARATUS FOR PRBSSING TROUSERS, Gas. No. 586,887. Patented July 20, 1897 UNTTEE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE IVIIITAKER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR PRESSING TROUSERS, 80C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 586,887, dated July 20, 1897.

Application filed June 11, 1895, Serial N0- 552,443. (No model.) Patented in England May 27, 1895, No. 10,471, and in France June 29,1895,N0.248,526.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WHITAKER, tailor, a citizen of England, residing at 43 Conduit Street, Regent Street, London, in the county of )Iiddlesex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Pressing Trousers or other Articles of Apparel, Fable-Linen, and the Like, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent of Great Britain, No. 10,l'71, dated May 27,1895, and Letters Patent of France, No. 248,526, dated June 29, 1895,) of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to apparatus for pressing articles of wearing-apparel, table-linen, &c., and is designed to provide a simple, cheap, and effective machine of this character.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved apparatus, part of it showing the two boards with articles of apparel or the like held compressed between them and part showin g the two boards in the position which they occupy when not in use. Fig. 2 is a view of the lever by which the pressing is effected.

A is the lower board, to which are hinged four bars 13, each perforated with holes and having ratchet-teeth along its one edge.

0 is the upper board, on which are fixed two cross-bars D, each of these having at each end a slot through which can pass the bar 13 and in which is pivoted a pawl E. The articles to be pressed being placed on the lower board A, the upper board 0 is placed upon them, the bars B being raised to an upright position and passed through the slots of the cross-bars D. A lever consisting of a spindle F and a handle G, made with a downward projection II, is then applied, the ends of the spindle F being inserted in holes of the two opposite bars 13 and the projection H bearing on a widened part of the cross-bar D. On pressing down the handle G the upper board 0 is forced down, and the pawls E, engaging in the ratchet-teeth of the bars B, prevent the upper board 0 from rising.

hen it is desired to withdraw the articles, the upper board is first pressed a little down to allow the pawls E to be Withdrawn from the ratchet-teeth, and then the upper board is free to be raised.

It is to be understood that for pressing or relieving the pressure the lever action is applied at both ends of the apparatus either by use of two levers or by acting with one lever at the ends alternately.

Having thus described the nature of my said invention and the best means I know for carrying the same into practical effect, I claim In pressing apparatus, the combination with the bottom board having the swinging bars provided with ratchet-teeth and having holes therein, of an upper board having a cross-bar provided with slots for the swinging bars, said cross-bar having pivoted pawls arranged to engage with the teeth of said bars, and a rock-shaft arranged to be fulcrumed within holes in the swinging bars and having a cam projection to engage the upper board; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 29th day of May, A. I). 1895.

GEORGE IVIIITAKER.

\Vitnesses:

GERALD L. SMITH, J NO. P. M. l\[ILLARD. 

